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After a steady, if not slightly low-key start to the season, we welcome Oxford to Plainmoor hoping to beat them for the first time in what seems like ages. After two hard-fought draws positivists will say we are unbeaten, pessimists will say we are yet to win. Oxford always offer stiff opposition, will Saturday's match be the best gauge so far as to where we are in relation to the rest of the league.?

Oxford come to us top of the league, having thrashed Pompey on the opening day and followed it up with a 2-1 win over Bury at the first game of the season at the ground without a 4th stand. For those who need to know who played for Oxford that day they lined up like so:

01 Clarke 03 Newey 06 Wright 13 Hunt 16 Whing 10 Smalley 11 Potter 17 Rose 19 Mullins 07 Rigg 08 Kitson

Dave Kitson is an ex premiership carthorse who will probably be very useful at this level, Downes and Pearce will have to be at their best to keep him under control. Alfie Potter once scored against Liverpool in the FA cup but don't let that fool you that he might be any good. Matt Constable is also in their squad so we should probably be weary of the him too.

As such they will be heading to TQ1 with a large following, lots of confidence and as firm favourites. Its up to us to find out a way to negate all that.

One thing to discuss is how best to replace Dale Tonge who received our first red card of the season up at Morecambe by virtue of two innocuous but deserved bookings. Tom Cruise played ninety minutes at right-back in a development fixture on Tuesday afternoon so perhaps he is the man in line to fill in. Mansell has obviously played there too and polarised opinion (including that of himself) and with Lathrope or Craig in reserve for his midfield place,would this be seen as a safer bet? And what of young Jake Hutchings, how best to know if he is ready for first team football, or how better to give him first team experience than to throw him in at the deep end? What do we reckon team?

In that same Tuesday development match young Dan Sullivan notched twice, including what has been described as a 'wonder strike' is he now a viable first team option, is he worth more than a 2 minute cameo? In the continued absence of Benyon, should Yeoman or Sullivan be the man from the bench to add fresh impetus up front? After his well taken strike at Morecambe where do we think Hawley is in terms of match fitness at the moment? Can we now start expecting 90 minutes from him or should we be wrapping him up in cotton wool?

Whichever way we line up, lets get behind the eleven on the pitch from start to finish. Lets hope the lads can bag our first three points of the season and lets hope that after the match we're all talking about matters on the field.
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For me I would like some consistency from the team. We have been slow starters in each of our two league games and if we start in such a laboured fashion on Saturday we could be in big trouble early on. Harding and Manse have yet to really control the game from midfield, I think we need to see far more from them as a partnership or from whichever partnership starts in the middle. Part of our outstanding second half display against Morecambe was our excellent pressure down the wings, we did not see enough of this last time out at Plainmoor, and with Hawley and Ball in the penalty box, not getting good deliveries in from wide areas is criminal.

Before his sending off on Saturday Dale Tonge was having a lot of joy on the right, overlapping at will, will Knill's choice of replacement be expected to fulfil the same role? If so, I would personally go for Mansell there on a one game basis, and then chuck Nathan Craig in the centre. He needs first team games and if he isn't going to picked early on in the season then the situation is really wasting everyone's time.
Mansell has both the experience and fitness to play at right back and in all likelihood he will be playing behind a winger who won't be offering him much defensive protection.

My team thus would be: Rice, Mansell, Downes, Pearce, Nicho, Chappell, Craig, Harding, Bodin, Hawley, Ball.

Significant pitch time needed for Yeoman OR Sullivan too.

I think a midfield of Craig and Harding looks weak! I think I'd drop Harding and put lathrope in!

Cruise will start at right-back for the suspended Tonge and I suspect this will be the only change with Hutch may be making the bench.

definately our biggest test so far, they've come flying out of the blocks, and wont come to devon looking for a point thats for sure

they bookies make them favourites and i'll definately agree with their odds, 1-3 defeat head, 1-1 draw heart! hawley again, 3,734 there with 850 from oxfordshire

gullno4 wrote:I think a midfield of Craig and Harding looks weak! I think I'd drop Harding and put lathrope in!

So would I, gullno4. I have seen nothing that persuades me Harding is a better option than Lathrope. I just hope that AK isn't one of those managers who favours his own signings and that players like Lathrope and Nathan Craig are left on the bench, or don't even make the bench. I suspect that Harding and Mansell will be in midfield on Sat and that Tom Cruise will come in at right back. Think it would be a tough baptism to bring in Hutchings against arguably one of the strongest sides in the division.

Honestly, I can't see the big fuss being made about Oxford. Mullins was a decent signing as was Kitson however Hawley scored the same number of goals in league one as Kitson, and while Hawley played 6 more games, Kitson was in a much stronger team. Beyond that I don't see anything other than run of the mill League 2 players - Davies, Potter, Rigg, Rose, Newey, Clarke, Wright - none of them are world-beaters.

I think they well beatable and we shouldn't be settling for a point, although of course the team is still gelling so not getting a win would not be the end of the world.

My biggest concern is Alfie Potter. Very good player on his day, and he absolutely destroyed Pompey by himself. Against Nicholson he could have a field day..

Nick wrote:My biggest concern is Alfie Potter. Very good player on his day, and he absolutely destroyed Pompey by himself. Against Nicholson he could have a field day..

Agree Nick, you can't let him attack 1v1 will be too easy for him to go past Nicho, problem is Rose the other winger is decent too, fullbacks are going to have to be on it!!

Agreed,Oxford have come out of the traps real fast and will be full of confidence, however this could well be the game that kick starts our season if we can turn them over,it will tough to get a result but wouldn't rule us out.

Sadly not going to make this game, injured a lower back ligament filling rabbit holes on my own teams pitch, signed off work, can't sit or stand up for to long, or walk to far right now, so be flat on me back shouting at the radio..

Totally agree - if we can beat them then that will really kick start our season. However based on the evidence of what has happened so far that just isn't going to happen.
Having watched Portsmouth against Accrington it can't be understated what a great result Oxford had against them.
As stated Potter will cause havoc against Nico.
Luckily Tonge is banned so we won't have a snail playing at right back hopefully.
So what with the holiday traffic and the likelyhood of a pasting I am definately not bothering.

Quite honestly I am stunned that Nicholson is continuing to claim the left back spot this season. I was of the firm belief that last season was his last as a regular. Literally every side that comes to Plainmoor is aware of this weak spot in our side and they look to exploit it at every opportunity. This was one of the positions I really hoped we would fill pre-season. Jermaine McGlashan loves playing against him and there are many others. I do expect Potter to enjoy his day out if he plays down this side of the pitch. I do believe he has been a loyal servant to the club but you cannot play someone just because he's played for the club for a number of years. I do wonder what Knill sees in him, perhaps he doesn't, perhaps he has no other choice! Fingers crossed for Saturday.

Whilst I totaly agree Taunton, with Tonge suspended for this game I personaly do not see any other way. Do not see the point in putting Mansell back there, would take far to much out of midfield and do not think AK would anyway, the only other way is putting the young lad Hutchings back there and AK has stated he prefers experience in defence.

So think we will see Cruise possibly at Right back, allthough like you I am surprised that Cruise has not become the no1 left back so far.

Here's the other taunton_gull's view! Like others I fear for us defensively in this game especially given our opponents. I've heard that it is doubtful whether Dave Kitson is going to be fit which would be a major boost for us but they still have a lot of quality namely Potter as mentioned which can hurt us. Overall I am very pleased with the squad we have in comparison to last year but one of the main weaknesses has already been exposed - the fact that there is no longer two specialist right backs at the club. I reckon Oastler and Leadbitter have found there level in truth but I think holding on to one as cover might have been wise but then it was no doubt a question of cost. Another area I feel we are short is the middle of the park - it is very disappointing Craig isn't in contention and I hope perhaps later in the season we might be able to strengthen here. I've also been surprised Nicho has managed to retain a starting place and I think this coupled with Cruise playing out of position means that we will be mincemeat! It was always going to be a tough start to the season and I fear our first realistic chance of three points will come in two weeks at home to Hartlepool as we're away at the graveyard known as Sixfields next week. A draw tomorrow is probably a realistic aim which whilst it will mean only 3 points from 3 games we will still be unbeaten.

This might sound doom + gloom which is not intended but it's how I see things presently. I have every faith in the management and squad this season - much more so than last term. I think we have a great deal of quality which is spread throughout the squad unlike last year but as Dave Thomas has pointed out the name of the game this season is patience, we will get better as the season progresses.

Thankfully the match will be played on grass rather than online. It will be tough, pace is hard to deal with, so Nicho will have his work cut out . I am sure the players will all be up for it and will believe they can get a win. I have no idea what the score will be, but I do keep in mind we are playing Oxford not Real Madrid.

Well said Lloyd,Torquay always do well against top sides and come unstuck against the likes of Hartlepool' ,so a win against Oxford is on the cards.